The field of dental prosthesis structures is replete with various types of connections for connecting a dental prosthesis to a base component in order to form an artificial dental structure. Some of the prior art structures provide a fixed connection between the dental prosthesis and the base component. Because of the rigidity of the assembly, such prior art structures have proven to be particularly susceptible to wear and are also quite uncomfortable for the intended patient.
Accordingly, there has been an effort towards providing an artificial dental structure incorporating some resilient component. One example of such prior art structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,295 naming Walter Durr and Axel Kirsch as inventors and issued Mar. 24, 1992. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,295 discloses a plug connection for the detachable fitting of a prosthesis structure that includes a bearing ring in the cavity of an elastic material for relieving impact stresses occurring substantially in the direction of a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the post.
While the patent recognizes the need for a reduction of the impact stresses generated on the dental prosthesis, the structure disclosed in the document nevertheless suffers from a set of drawbacks. First, the structure only allows for a relative movement between the dental prosthesis and the tooth peg in the direction of a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the peg. Second, the structure does not allow for the individual movement of the dental prosthesis since all the dental prosthesis structures are rigidly mounted on a common rail acting as a base component.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved connecting structure.